[delb0y]

I've mentioned in the three Finished Song posts that I've made so far that my intention with these tunes is to play them at Open Mics with a view to seeing what works and what doesn't, polish them, get the keys and tempos and feels right, etc etc with a view to ultimately including them in some proper acoustic gigs. Anyway, I started the 2016 campaign this evening at an OM - played four songs, of which three went down really well. The fourth was okay, but I need to work on it a little more. But "I Learned To Walk" which I've posted here went down a storm - I was really happy with the performance and the song just flies. I think I've really lucked into a good one there. Already have a promise of a proper paid acoustic gig too, rather than an OM. So the campaign is off to a good start :-)

[pompeyjazz]

Nice one db. Your songs are great so keep feeding the public 

[adamfarr]

Good for you. And there is nothing lucky about Learned to Walk - it's a cracking song and deserves the plaudits.

[delb0y]

Had chance to do a solo set at an acoustic night, last night. Not an Open Mic, but a three act evening, of which I was the middle one. I decided to include three of my originals, two of which I've shared here, and they went down really well. Excellent comments about the songs and the set, so I'm delighted with progress so far this year. Even got requests for my card from a couple of people, one whom puts gigs on...  Made me decide that I must get some cards printed up! Luckily I had a non-music related card that I could give out. Clearly my marketing needs as much attention as my song-writing!

[PaulAds]

I'm not in the least surprised...you're great at this.

Writing really good, engaging songs and performing them brilliantly, in a warm, fun and friendly fashion.

It's a great way of presenting songs too.

I dug up some of my really old songs yesterday and recorded them live with just acoustic guitar and vocals...and they seemed to have a life of their own, without the constraints of a band playing them, or a metronome dictating the tempo...I really loved doing it.

The downside for me was that my performance was a bit ropey...you're miles ahead of me in that department...and I need to work on it a bit

Well done, Derek...and thanks for the inspiration!

[delb0y]

Another OM this evening. Did six songs (two groups of three as there weren't that many acts so we got to go round twice).

My intention this evening, thinking I was only going to play three songs, was to test out two new tunes. They both went well / okay-ish - but there was a huge difference with song # 3, which I've played live maybe a dozen times. It just goes to show that one can practice and practice at home, but playing live is a different thing altogether and there's just no substitute for it.

For the second three I tried another original which I'd only played once before, but it was an easier song - no fingerpicking! - and thus I was able to relax into it. I then played a John Prine song, and finished with I Learned To Walk, which always goes down well.

Had a chat with a fellow afterwards who's opinion I respect and he made a couple of suggestions about keys and tempos, but said he loves what I do. Some other positive comments, too.

So the intent was met - I got to try out a couple of originals in a safe environment, learned a few things, and took some advice home with me.

Tomorrow night I'm meeting up with a fellow player who I met at the last gig. Not sure where it's going to lead, hopefully a good contact that can help find some acoustic gigs.

Another step on the long trail.

[delb0y]

Next step is next Friday. Got a duo gig, possibly a trio, but have managed to negotiate a 20 minute solo section to try a few of the songs I've been working up here. Nice to now have the problem of choosing which songs to cut to get the solo set down to 20 minutes :-)

[delb0y]

Well that was another step along the trail - a great gig, including 20 minutes of me playing my solo fingerpicking stuff. I did a few Mississippi John Hurt covers - although the way I play them they're a little more in-yer-face and less laid back and subtle than the originals - a John Prine, and a couple of mine: my standard finishing song "I Learned To Walk" and a blues "The Women Get You Every Time". I was really pleased with both these - particular the latter as I tried it at an Open Mic a couple of weeks ago and didn't quite nail it. This evening it was almost spot on - and all the better for having a guest harp player blowing some sweet solos in it. When I do a version of it for this site, I might get said harp-player to add his magic to the recording.

Had a couple more dates come into the diary today, too. Not for the solo stuff which is what I've been sharing here, but all gigs are gigs! One if a band gig at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival (the fringe element) and another is a gig for my party duo at a hotel in Herefordshire.

Onwards and upwards!

[CaliaMoko]

You've been having some great experiences! I mostly sit at home, do some writing, and I'm getting a little into recording, but I'm a long way from being any good at that.

I've thought about talking to a local establishment about having an open mic night where I would, of course, try out something of mine. My problem is, I no longer care to go out in the evening. I've gotten to be such a fuddy-duddy.

I'm glad these events are going so well for you, and I suspect they will just keep getting better and better.

Vicki

[delb0y]

Thanks Vicki. I've played gigs since I was 15 (and before that I played in the school orchestra) so actually being on stage in front of people isn't new or daunting (in fact I love it). The new bit is doing it standing there alone, performing my own songs, and trying to entertain, keep an audience's attention and all that. It's a whole different world to banging out rock'n'roll that a roomful of people can jive to, or performing singalong songs that everyone knows at a party. (Both of which I do also)

Each gig I'm learning something new. On Friday I took the volume down quite low on a couple of occasions to see if what Victor Wootton wrote about in The Music Lesson (*) would really work. It did. As I went quiet people stopped talking and turned to listen...

(*) A great, if strange, book about music. Highly recommended if one plays an instrument.

[Boydie]

It is great following your journey

Standing up there alone with your own songs is definitely the pinnacle of "singer / songwriting" and I admire you for doing it

I know our very own JAMES NIGHTHAWK has been doing the same for a while so I hope he returns soon with an update on how he is getting on

It is interesting you mention Victor Wotten - I was just talking about him on Wednesday this week

He is playing in London soon and the bass player in my band and I were wondering if a whole night of "solo bass guitar" would hold our interest

He is incredible though!

[delb0y]

Thanks Boydie.

I've not seen Victor Wotten live, but I'm sure it would be awesome. His two DVD bass instructional pack is the best instruction about being a musician I've ever watched. I don't play bass, but I've got so much from Victor.

Now that I think about it I must try and get to see him sometime, too :-)

[pompeyjazz]

Nice one Del. There is nothing like standing up in front of an audience and banging out Your own tunes. Especially solo. It can be terrifying. Keep it up mate. The general public deserve to be educated

Cheers

John

[delb0y]

Not an original song, but another aspect of what I'm taking along this path with me.

https://youtu.be/regr4QXBIzQ

A ragtime exercise that goes by the name of "Boogaloo Down La Rue" and was written by a feller called Richard Saslow. My tune "Let The Lyrics Take The Strain" which I posted here was heavily influenced by this chord sequence - but hopefully sounds an awful lot different. That was the intent anyway.

In other news also managed to get to another Open Mic tonight and play four songs. No substitute for miles, a famous cyclist once said. Similar with this solo playing - just trying to get as much time behind the mic and in front of people as possible. It went well. Was quite quiet, but some very good comments.

Hey ho.

Cheers!
Derek

[Boydie]

I really enjoyed that rag time tune and can imagine it going down a storm live